Visual Literacy in Medical Education: Benefits, Uses, and Application

Abstract

Text-based learning has been the dominant and most traditional form of learning throughout history. As a result, the workforce is comprised of individuals who have been taught primarily through textual means. Text-based learning perpetuates a cycle of information transfer (i.e., students read what their teachers have read). This system has become outdated as we move toward a society that is increasingly reliant on visual media and technology. Instead of sitting down with a textbook, students need to be allowed the option of learning in a way that provides them with information while simultaneously enhancing and teaching skills that lie outside the realm of memorization. Unlike text-based literacy, visual literacy allows students to learn effectively through visual media by teaching them how to take meaning away from this media at a deeper cognitive level. One way to update the standard curriculum that is followed in high schools, universities, and post-graduate institutions is to implement a course or series of courses that teach students about visual literacy. This would be especially beneficial for medical school where students acquire the knowledge necessary to treat patients in a holistic manner. While student learning in medical schools is rooted in textual sources, the real-world application of what students learn must extend beyond their memorization of terms and treatments. In addition to the analyzing and assessing of patient symptoms, the doctor-patient relationship is essential to medical care and is known to impact a patient’s recovery. Therefore, doctor-patient interaction is rooted in empathy and communication, not something that can be taught through a text but, as I will demonstrate, something that can be imparted through visual means. Thus, this thesis addresses the need for visual literacy training across multiple levels of schooling with a strong focus on postgraduate medical studies. A compulsory course on visual literacy is essential in both undergraduate studies and medical schools because it would develop necessary and crucial skills desired in various fields, particularly the medical field. These abilities include leadership, empathy, communication, and critical analysis. Many of the ways in which these skills apply to future physicians are applicable across a variety of fields. Proper training and teaching ensure that it is possible for everyone to develop these traits that are crucial to the workforce. The compulsory course mentioned above must cover several topics in the field of visual literacy and a proposed framework for this course will be provided. This proposed framework includes several modules beginning with teaching the principles of visual analysis and exemplifying this by providing images, paintings, and video clips, asking students to create images of their own, analysis of images in closer relation to students’ field of study, and multiple discussion periods. A course like this can be modified to fit into any school or program's curriculum; however, in this thesis, the course proposition is intended specifically for medical students. Prior to delving into the topic described above, it is crucial to first lay down the foundations of what visual literacy is and how it is related to various fields of study, particularly the medical profession.